In the large diesel-powered 4WD space, the Scorpio is a bargain, even if it is more medium SUV-sized in real terms, only qualifying for the next size up on something of a technicality based on its height, rather than its length.
It arrives in two trim levels, both riding on an all-new platform and featuring a 2.2-litre diesel (129kW and 400Nm) and six-speed Aisin automatic transmission.
The range opens with the Scorpio Z8, which is $41,990 drive-away until June 30 - significantly undercutting its competitors in the diesel 4WD category.
It arrives with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED front lighting – including the DRLs, fog lights and sequential indicators – a sunroof and skid plates.
There’s a coffee-coloured synthetic leather theme – the only interior treatment available – along with an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a second, smaller screen in the driver’s binnacle, USB-A and USB-C charging in the first and second rows, and dual-zone climate control.
Stepping up to the top-spec Scorpio Z8L ($44,990 drive-away until June 30) adds a 12-speaker Sony stereo, wireless device charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-way powered driver’s seat and a bigger 7.0-inch colour display in the driver’s binnacle.
Both models get a 2.5-tonne braked towing capacity and arrive with a heap of proper off-road kit including shift-on-the-fly 4WD with high and low range, a mechanical locking differential, and the brand’s '4XPLOR' terrain management system with 'Snow', 'Mud', 'Sand' and 'Normal' modes.
But while well-equipped in most areas, both Scorpio models are short on active safety kit. We'll come back to that in a moment.